I'd be happy to preorder a CD, I just need to have the money to pay
for one, and I'm behind on bills...
On Wed, Sep 9, 2009 at 3:28 PM, Rod Whitworth<glis...@witworx.com> wrote:
> Of course I try to be first to pre-order my CD setS but the orders
> always open when I'm asleep. I am going to keep trying, even after I
> achieve it!
>
> Good pitch, Nick. I'd love to see it on a wider screen somewhere.
>
> Rod/
>
> On Tue, 08 Sep 2009 23:54:12 -0400, Nick Holland wrote:
>
>>What makes OpenBSD unique? Everyone's got their own list, but here's
>>mine:
>>
>>* Good work is unacceptable, great work is expected.
>>* Quality is the #1 goal, it takes a back seat to NOTHING else.
>>* Freedom for the users to use OpenBSD without question and without
>> lawyers having to be involved, again without compromise.
>>* Strong leadership. Not a "core team", or an elected committee
>> that blows in the wind of public opinion, but one person who
>> sets direction and policy for the project. You may not always
>> agree with Theo, but you never wonder where he stands on an
>> issue, or what direction the project will go.
>>* Commitment to doing it right in one way, not twenty different
>> ways ("pick one, maybe you get lucky").
>>* Refusal to accept the damned "all programs have bugs" chant as
>> an excuse for making crap
>>* No fear of retaining things that work, and trashing things
>> that are broke or inferior to newer (or older!) alternatives.
>>* The "Just Works" philosophy.
>>
>>But...a project like OpenBSD doesn't just run on volunteer effort,
>>it takes real money. Hardware, infrastructure, Internet services,
>>and if you are going to have ONE PERSON in charge, you need to
>>keep them focused on the project, not "in their spare time", and
>>give them the money to live in reasonable comfort.
>>
>>I just had a talk with Theo, and he shared some numbers with me.
>>There's a digit missing from the current CD pre-orders from where
>>we were hoping to be now. There's a trailing zero missing from
>>what we'd really like to have.
>>
>>Long ago, while waiting for customers to hand me money, my first
>>boss told me, "The hardest thing to do, but the most important,
>>is to ask for the sale". I've never been very good at that, but
>>here it is...
>>
>>People, it is time to get your browsers over to
>> http://www.openbsd.org/orders.html
>>and start running some money into the project.
>>
>>Do you use OpenBSD for fun? Contribute.
>>Do you use OpenBSD for work? Contribute.
>>Does OpenBSD allow you to worry about the problem you are trying
>>to solve rather rather than the tools? Contribute.
>>Do you wish your employer used the OpenBSD quality standard in
>>your work? Contribute.
>>Does your employer use OpenBSD? Ask them to contribute (after
>>you do, of course).
>>Do you bundle OpenBSD or subprojects like OpenSSH into your
>>product? Contribute big! (you won't, you rarely do, but hey,
>>I'll ask anyway)
>>Do you find yourself wondering why so few take computer software
>>quality seriously? Contribute!
>>
>>CDs are our favorite way to get contributions. The price is well
>>within what the average person can easily pay for, they are a lot
>>more educational than a month of cable TV (and maybe even more fun).
>>Sure, the CD itself is not something everyone needs anymore, but
>>it is about much more than the data recorded on it. It is the mark
>>of being an active OpenBSD supporter, and it provides a nice, neat
>>count of "this many people care".
>>
>>Don't get me wrong, Theo likes big cash contributions, too, but
>>(ok, my life flashes before my eyes every time I try to put words
>>in Theo's mouth) while a $10000 donation from BIGCORP Inc., is
>>nice, it is probably more satisfying to see two hundred $50
>>contributions from private people and small businesses who
>>appreciate and put a value not only the work OpenBSD does, but
>>the KIND of work, the "Quality and Freedom Second to NOTHING"
>>philosophy. Don't wait and hope for a big company to speak for
>>you, speak your thanks directly for the work and effort that
>>goes into OpenBSD by buying a CD set.
>>
>>
>>I'm going to answer a question that comes up periodically: "What
>>about T-shirts and mugs and ...?" Well, those are profit points,
>>too, but CDs are dirt cheap to make, they store easily, and one
>>size fits all. T-shirts have a higher manufacturing cost, take
>>up more space, and must be stocked in multiple sizes, all of which
>>must be kept accessible. Certainly, buy a t-shirt, buy a mug,
>>poster, whatever..but buy a CD set, too.
>>
>>
>>Thanks to those that contribute money and buy CDs.
>>Thanks to the OpenBSD team, I can't tell you what an honor
>>it is to work (in my small way) with some of the worlds best
>>programmers and software DESIGNERS.
>>Thanks to Theo de Raadt for the years of showing that it IS
>>possible to hold one's ideals up high and proud, never
>>compromise them, and never give in, in spite of the pressures
>>from those that will trade their ideals for a little temporary
>>"expediency".
>>
>>And thanks to you for reading my rant.
>>
>>Nick.
>>
>
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>
> Rod/
> ---
> This life is not the real thing.
> It is not even in Beta.
> If it was, then OpenBSD would already have a man page for it.
>
>
--
Aaron Mason - Programmer, open source addict
- Oh, why does everything I whip leave me?
